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  • Essay / "The Weary Blues: Its Powerful Language and Message

    In “The Weary Blues,” Langston Hughes uses negative language to create a generally discouraging atmosphere. The dark and unforgiving imagery makes the reader overlook an underlying message, as the poem actually encourages its readers to overcome any obstacles that stand in their way. Rather than letting your problems get you down, you need to get up and continue to resist the slow slide into depression. Through such ideals, Hughes strived to instill hope in African Americans. primary audience.Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an original essayAt the beginning of the poem, Hughes depicts a struggling musician with little control over his problems. The poem begins with “Droning a syncopated drowsiness” (1), a simple line containing a plethora of information. As the first line of the poem, it establishes a melancholy tone, while maintaining an oddly rhythmic feel. the presence of a syncopation modifies the direction of the beginning of the line. It adds a sense of hope, a sort of light at the end of the tunnel. The subject of the poem swings “back and forth to a sweet song” (2) that he plays. Despite the drowsy and dull scene, the music continues to come from the piano. The man who willingly sways to the rhythm of his air brimming with negativity shows the golden qualities of the race. At first glance, they are described as successful and happy, but once they get to the heart of the matter, the situation changes. A confused, wobbly core contrasts with the shiny crust that surrounds it. This negative representation is the basis from which the subject slowly loses its grip. As the poem progresses, the reader gains a greater understanding of the musician's mental process. The speaker specifies that the subject playing the melody is an African American, but does not associate any positive or negative connotations with it. “I heard a nigger playing.” (3), an objective statement, disconnects the speaker from the situation. This negates any bias the speaker has toward the topic and makes the reader trust the speaker more. The speaker continues to describe the scene, claiming to have seen the musician "on Lenox Avenue the other night." (4) Lenox Avenue, a major thoroughfare in downtown Harlem, places the subject in a hotbed of African-American art and creativity. The reference to the New York street connects Hughes' poem to the Harlem Renaissance and adds subterranean meaning. The basis of the cultural movement was the aptitude and know-how of African Americans; it takes skill to make the old beaten piano play the sweet and sweet melody. The poem takes a different turn here: rather than exploring the good things about African Americans, the speaker adds to the scenery. The man played “By the dull, pale pallor of an old gaslight.” (5) The shady appearance contrasts with the brilliance and excitement of the Roaring Twenties in America. The outdated gas lamp, worn and dark, was not comparable to the new electric lamps of the time. “He did a lazy swing…/He did a lazy swing…” (6-7), emphasizes the man's simple rock as he plays. The repetition of the line adds to the rhythm of the stanza and makes the meaning of the line more obvious. Hughes continues to compile the man's misfortunes, but adds a glimmer of uniqueness and a sense of pride by writing in the form of the blues. Blues is a uniquely African-American art form. Hughes uses it to identify with his subject and his target audience. Mirroring the title, the speaker describes the man as swaying "To the beat of these Weary Blues." / With his ebony hands on each ivory key / he made this poor piano moan with melody” (8-10). Not only does the poet introduce the Blues connecting the syncopated air to thesyncopated poetry of the time, but also the “ebony hands on each ivory key” of the subject (9). This contrast shows the cliché of "the black man in a white world" and shows the man playing the world like a piano and creating melodious music from it. Using the stereotypes of the time, the author contrasts the pianist's situation with his achievements. This encourages others to do the same and overcome their adversities with their abilities. Just like a dull lamp, the wobbly stool increases the burden on the pianist's shoulders. The man “rocks on his rickety stool” (12). The unstable base is a reference to the man's fragile past, but it still supports him and the man succeeds. Even with second-rate equipment, the musician “played this scruffy piece like a musical fool. Sweet Blues! » (13-14) The man doesn't care if he plays on a battered piano rather than in a private club in a wealthy neighborhood. Music is seen as race and situation indifferent. Like other forms of art, it allows you to express yourself on an equal level. Further showing the musician's connection to his piece, the speaker describes the music as "coming from the soul of a black man." (15) Rather than being a product of the musician, his song becomes a part of the man. The sad song he plays is now even more connected to him personally. The metaphorical gray cloud above the man's head billows in a discouraging rain as Hughes continues to describe it. The situation deteriorates further when the man begins to sing. The man is no longer content to play a sweet Blues tune, his melancholy words reveal more of his state. Even before the words, the reader can imagine the man quietly letting the words come out of his mouth. “In a deep voice with a melancholy tone, I heard this negro singing, this old piano moaning…” (17-18), the man and the instrument have a link with each other . As a unit, the dark duo sang "There's no one in all this world, there's no one but me" (19-20). This first sentence of the lyrics isolates the man and his ethnicity from the rest of the world. African Americans feel like no one is looking out for them but themselves and that they are quarantined from the rest of humanity. To finish the thought and stanza, the lyrics say, “I'm ready to stop my frown and put my troubles on the shelf” (21-22). The use of an Ebony dialect in the lyrics places the man as a distinctive African American who does not speak accepted "white" English. This distinctive quality among African Americans is one with the subject of the poem. Putting his troubles aside, the musician in the poem decides to stop letting problems bother him. He must rely on his own will to achieve his goals, the man decides to stop letting difficulties make him unhappy and to overcome them. The pianist is on the verge of depression after, a few lines earlier, having decided to resist falling into such a state. ; the man is unstable and considering giving up on life. At the beginning of the final verse, the musician briefly stops singing to tap the rhythm with his foot and play intermittent chords before continuing to sing. “I got the Weary Blues/And I can't be satisfied.” / Got the Weary Blues/ And I can’t be satisfied” (25-28). The man is aware of his own gloom, but determines that there can be no end to his sadness. Previous talk of putting one's problems on a shelf seems to have only led to more problems. These “Weary Blues” seem like they will never go away, and yet he keeps playing. The last two lines of the lyrics are particularly dark: "I'm not happy either and I wish, 2021.